Prosthetic dentistry



Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,594

E. A. THAYERY V PROSTHETIC DENTISTRY Filed June 27. 1921 Z7 6???? @zmij Patented Nov. 13, 1928.

UNITED: STATES EUGENE A. THAYER, or PONTIAC, ILLINOIS.

' PROSTHETIC Application filed .Tune 27,

The invention relates to an improvement in prosthetic dentistry, and has for itsprimary object the provision of an improved method of assembling either full or partial dentures or plates of false teeth for use by dentists to facilitate articulating the teeth in assembling a set or partial set as a unit.-

A further object of the invention is the provision, as an article of manufacture,'of an improved holder that isadapted to receive and retain a set or partial set of false teeth, which may be assembled by the maker or manufacturer and furnished to dentists and laboratories who make false teeth fol-applica- 'ion to the mouths of patients, whereby the workman making up a denture may apply the set or partial set of teeth on the holder to the permanent base plate of the denture as a unit.

Heretofore, it has been the practice in prosthetic dentistry for the manufacturer of porcelain and other types of false teeth to furnish the teeth in assemblages, usually on fiat strips of wax or analogous material. WVhen a mouth is to be fitted with a denture or partial denture, it is the practice for the operator to mold the wax over the model or outline of the mouth and gums to restore the original form of the gums, and to accomplish this result there is generally a ridge of wax built around the ridge of the jaw, whether it be the upper or lower jaw that is being provided with the denture. hen this ridge of wax is thus formed, restoring the original outline as nearly as possible of the jaw and gum, it has been the practice for the dentist or operator to take teeth individually from the Wax carrier and to insert them, one at a time, in the; ridge of wax, the process requiring infinite care in order to see that the teeth are properly articulated in the wax, each tooth being thus handled individually in order that the resulting formation of teeth may be in as nearly as possible an exact replica of the normal position of the teeth in the mouth of the individual, as formed by nature. The present invention relates to means for use in prosthetic dentistry up to the point of thus insuring the correct placement of the false teeth'on the wax'mold for the mouth, and theresulting steps thenceforth in the formation of a plaster cast and the subsequent formation of a re taining plate of vulcanizable or similar material will be carried on as heretofore known to those skilled in the art. It will be understood, of course, that it is the intention of correct prosthetic dentistry to position each D NTISTRY;

1921. .Serial No, 480,184.

tooth in the carrierorholder so that it will in its normal articulateposition, so thateach tooth in the opposing jaw, whether it be the natural tooth or the tooth of a plate.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to provide an improved holder for teeth to be used by dentists and operators in laboratory work in assembling teeth in prosthetic dentistry.

Other objects of the invention will appear from'the following description of the preferred embodiment of my invention, which is also illustrated in the drawing which forms a partof the specification, the novel features of my method and article of manufacture being finally set forth more specifically inthe appended claims. 1

In the said drawing: v

Fig. 1 is aplan View of my improved denture holder.v

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 22, Fig. 1, showing the cup 19 with dowel 19 therein for securing the tooth 19 thereto.

Fig. 3 is a partial rear elevational view showing the manner in which the front teeth are detachably secured to the metal strip.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

Reference character 12 represents the front teeth of the denture. 14 are lugs carried by the inner faces of the teeth 12 and are for the purpose of anchoring the teeth in the holder.

In using my improved holder, with the teeth assembled as in Fig. 1, which is the form or arrangement in which they come to the dentist or workman from the manufacturer and are then in normal form and arranged to properly articulate the lower and upper teeth, it will be apparent to those "skilled in the art that all that is necessary is to secure the holders, by Wax or analogous material, to their respective wax bases, in their proper positions for normal articulation on the upper and lower models of the patients mouth. After this is done and the wax is smoothed by the workman, the models, with the dentures secured in place, are taken from the articulator and flasked, in accordance with the usual practice, after which the flasks are heated, as usual, and separated, so

that the wax may be removed, leaving the teeth still connected by the holder partially embedded in the plaster of the flask, after which the material for forming the permanent plate body maybe introduced into the mold to take the place of the temporary tooth will meet. properly the corresponding 1 material removed and to surround the holder and permanently cover it, in other words, the holder is not removed from the denture, but is incorporated in the permanent plate in the molding thereof.

In the form of my invention shown in the drawings, the upstanding face 15 of the holder has slots 16 therethrough for the reception therein of the lugs .or posts 14 of the six front teeth,while extensions 17 and 18, which are arranged at right angles to the upstanding iace 15, have cups 19 which are adapted to receive the eight backteeth, the

- cups 19 having dowels 19 therein, four on either side of the frontteeth.

In the improved holder, shown in the drawings, I form the holder of a comparatively thin p-iece'of any suitable yieldable material, having the upstandingface member 15 with slots 16 therethrough for the reception therein of posts'or lugs 14 for securing the six frontteeth thereto.

In order that the invention may be understood I have shown the details oi" the invention that are preferred by me, but it'is not desired to be limited to the details as herein shown, except as defined in the claims, since it will be apparent that persons skilled in the art may resort to various modifications without departing from the purpose and spirit of the invention.

Whatl claim: 1. In a-denture'holder comprising a strip thereof having slots therein lying at right angles to the longitudinal body port-ions of said strip, cups carried by the outer end of said strip.

2. A denture holder comprising a strip of yieldable material having acenter portion and end portions at each extremity of the center portion, the face of the center portion lying at'substantially right angles to the face lying at substantially right angles to the face of the end portions thereof and having slots for retaining teeth, and cups'in the extren i'ities of the strip beyond the: center portion for retaining other teeth. I

In testimony whereof I have signed my i:

name to this specification on this 24th day May, A. D. 1921. I I EUGENE A. TI-IAYER.

' of yieldable material With the center portion 

